About “Chandelier”

“Chandelier” was released as the lead single from Sia’s sixth studio album, 1000 Forms Of Fear. Despite its soaring melody, the song has a sad theme describing the life of a “party girl”. On the track, Sia talks about her alcohol and drug addiction.

Sia has written songs for pop stars like Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Britney Spears, but this time she saves the “swing from the chandelier” moment for her own angelic voice.

The song has been described by many as Sia’s breakthrough performance due to its huge commercial success and critical acclaim. Billboard named the track one of the most memorable choruses of all time.

Why is the music video so popular?

The music for the song was released featuring american dancer, Maddie Ziegler from the TV show Dance Moms. The video was directed by Sia and Daniel Askill and choreographed by Ryan Heffington.

The music video received a lot of praise from critics, many calling it the “most groundbreaking” music video of 2014. Ziegler’s dancing was pointed as the highlight of the video, pushing her to widespread popularity. The video went on to receive multiple award nominations including the Grammy Award for Best Music Video.

The video went viral on YouTube making it the 13th most viewed YouTube video of all time.

Sia recreated the music video during promotional live performances as well.

How did the song perform on the charts?

The song debuted at #75 on Billboard Hot 100 chart. It went on to peak at #8, becoming Sia’s first top ten single as a lead artist. It topped the charts in France, Greece and many more. It landed on many year end charts and lists as well.

What has the media said about the song?

In 2018, NPR ranked this as the #66 greatest song by a female or nonbinary artist in the 21st century, saying:

Sia Furler is the real Wizard of Oz. In her signature blonde bob wig, this master vocalist, performance artist and songwriter curtains herself from celebrity with nose-length bangs of distinction. Behind the brand, Sia backs up her vulnerable, poetic songwriting with show-stopping pipes. Her second chart-topper as a solo artist, the 2014 ballad ‘Chandelier,’ was a hard-won hit, not only on the pop charts, but in a personal way: It’s the confession of a former self-proclaimed party girl in a land of newly earned sobriety. Nominated at the 72nd Grammy Awards in four categories, the lyrics in ‘Chandelier’ dig deeper than many of the hits Sia has penned for pop royalty like Rihanna, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Madonna and Celine Dion. Harkening more to her solo releases and early work with trip-hop band Zero 7, ‘Chandelier’ cries out for the magical abandon of the party life. ‘I’m gonna swing from the chandelier / I’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn’t exist.’

What have the artists said about the song?

Sia said about the experience of writing the song,

I usually think, ‘Oh this would work for Rihanna,’ or ‘This would be a good one for Bey or Katy.’ But this time I was like, ‘Uh-oh, I think I just wrote a full-blown pop song for myself by accident!’ My friend Jesse Sharkin and I were jamming in the studio, I was playing piano and him on the marimba, and this gem popped out.